Venetian Blues
by RinoaDestiny
Summary: One-shot: Kyo and Iori get lost in Venice. (Direct inspiration from my trip in Italy).


**Venetian Blues**

_Written By: RinoaDestiny_

**Comments**: _Inspired by my recent trip to Italy and particularly Venice. Expect to get lost. A lot._

* * *

Besides NESTS, Kyo had never desired the straight-up murder of anyone. Until now. Because the most recent tournament had a scheduled stop in Venice, Italy – Garcia came from the Italian mainland but wouldn't shut up about how great Italy was – and he was fucking lost. Venice looked beautiful in the postcards but no one ever mentioned how easy it was to lose track of where you were. To make things worse, he'd run across Iori who was also wandering around (the pigeons knew these streets better than they did) and his rival was snarly. Somehow, like they always ended up doing, they decided two heads were better than one in navigating this labyrinthine city.

It didn't make Kyo's desire to kill the tournament coordinator any less.

That also went for shoving Yagami over one of the many bridges they'd crossed. The thought zipped through his mind again as the irate redhead scowled, jabbing a finger at a sign posted on the side of the nearest building. It stated _Calle dei Pignoli _as the street they were currently on. It wasn't a new sight. They'd been here before. Had walked in circles, though Kyo didn't even know how that happened.

Iori's mood was sour and Kyo was tempted to give him an unwanted dunking in the canal. Yagami had a temper to match his and if they both lost their cool, they'd never get back to their respective hotels. It wasn't as if the coordinator booked them by the Grand Canal, because that was too expensive. Hell, it certainly would make finding their way back easier!

_"Again?"_ Iori's deep voice broke into his thoughts, an irritant like the mosquitos here. "The fucking fourth time, Kusanagi!"

"I'm sorry," Kyo retorted, meaning none of it. "Do I look like a map to you, Yagami?"

His rival directed the scowl at him, expression darkening. "It's a good thing we're registered or I'll –"

"What? Kill me here? Bit unimaginative, don't you think?"

Iori advanced on him but Kyo was used to his menace by now. "You know how to swim?"

"Funny. Was thinking the same about you."

That stopped the other man in his tracks. "Oh, you are not –"

"I will. Maybe you'll fall into a gondola."

"Fuck you!"

Kyo walked past him, aware that Iori's venomous gaze followed him. "No thanks. You can have the gondolier serenade to you, though. Some of those guys can sing."

"Kusanagi, you little –"

"Yagami, either we continue here on this bridge or we move our asses and get going. What's that huge-ass bridge everyone talks about?"

Now, his rival stared at him, stunned. "The Rialto. Kusanagi, how are you allowed outside?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Your fucking water taxi would've taken you under it. Big white bridge. Tourists everywhere. Only the biggest fucking bridge here and you don't remember its name?"

"You do and you still got lost."

"That's –"

"So let's find this Rialto bridge. Maybe that'll help redirect us."

"Stop taking us in circles." Although Iori's mood was better, the man still frowned. "Let's ask around. Maybe the locals will know."

"I saw other Japanese tourists."

Iori snorted. "And they aren't lost? Use your head, Kusanagi."

They always seemed to fall into their usual snarking. _We're lost in Venice and we're sniping at each other. Maybe we'll both walk into a dead end. Would serve us right._ "Why don't you lead since you know so much, Yagami? Let's see if you do better."

The other muttered under his breath. That was fine.

"Well?"

"Try to catch up. Ain't waiting for your slow ass if I lose you."

* * *

They walked across several city squares, made some turns, and then got lost in the neighborhoods there. Kyo lost all sense of direction and as if the gods hated him, they did walk straight into a dead end at one point. Yagami had raged for several minutes, which caused him to laugh and they almost got into a fight right there. A few tourists – Europeans and some Chinese – saw them and went the other way. The only witness to their frustration was a lone pigeon waddling along, staring at them with stupid eyes.

Yagami had stalked back the other way, fuming and Kyo suppressed the smirk on his face. As they exited the dead end street (_Calle del Sabion_) and reconnected with _Calle dei Stagneri_, Iori's speed carved an open path through the crowded street. Kyo followed, mindful of his rival's threat to leave him behind if he couldn't catch up. Since Yagami was clad in more neutral colors and not his usual blustering style, he mingled well with the tourists and residents, which made that possibility likely.

Kyo wasn't about to lose sight of his rival. At least he didn't see any more small bridges.

They kept twisting and turning through the maze that was Venice until Iori pointed out the signs throughout that directed them towards the Rialto. He asked Yagami how he could read it, since the words were in Italian. Iori shrugged and said he simply memorized what Rialto looked like. Made it sound easy. Kyo thought there was a bit of smugness behind Iori's tone, but when wasn't Yagami arrogant?

That was made all the more obvious when they finally found the Rialto Bridge. Yagami turned to him and smirked. "Well?" The delivery couldn't have been more sardonic.

"You found it. Great. Now let's get over it and find our hotels."

"I know yours."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Don't get lost finding it."

That got him a glare in return. Kyo ignored Iori. Looked over the crowded bridge – people going over one way and crossing over the other direction – and shifted his gaze to the famous waterway known as the Grand Canal that essentially was Venice. Water taxis, water buses, and the occasional gondola skimmed by. One small yet elaborate gondola even had a guitar player/singer in it, his voice carrying over the water in a merry Italian song.

"Hey, Yagami…I think that's your ride."

"Shut up."

Kyo grinned. The young couple sitting in the gondola looked happy. It was a very romantic scene. Some people even took pictures with their smartphones or digital cameras. If Yuki was here, he'd ask her if she wanted a ride such as that. She'd probably agree, all smiles and sunshine.

"I can dump you over the bridge. Don't sink the boat."

Iori's glare intensified. "Kusanagi…"

"What? Bet he knows the way to your hotel for a song. You sing, right?"

"You taking me for a joke?"

"Bit late there, Yagami. You can stop glaring. You're scaring the tourists."

"Fuck them."

"I can wave the next gondola over. Get you sitting among the roses and –"

He never finished that comment, because Iori lunged at him, driving him midway up the bridge. Goading Iori was a rare pleasure of his, and sometimes, Yagami just made it too easy. Of course, with both of them footsore and lost, a bit of distraction was needed. He just decided to do it at Yagami's expense, since the other's irritation provided a source of entertainment. So long as Iori didn't straight-up murder him, he was fine.

"Hey, look! We're almost across the bridge! You sure you don't want to consider the –"

Iori came at him again, snarling. "Shut up, Kusanagi!"

He was twenty years old. Grinning like an idiot, realizing how stupid this was – he didn't care – Kyo sidestepped Iori, wove his way backward among the crowd (bumping into the occasional person) and taunted. "Aw, you getting old, Yagami? I'm right here."

"Kusanagi, you fuck!"

This was more like it. Laughing – watching Yagami turn as red as his hair – Kyo kicked off the Rialto Bridge and ran, Yagami in hot pursuit.

* * *

During the chase, Kyo dashed through a long passageway, which led him upstairs to a small bridge. Water serene and green flowed below as he crossed it, the sounds of Yagami's footsteps behind him. Insofar as he could tell, they were in more familiar surroundings – had he crossed nearby to this place earlier? – which meant his hotel was probably close by. Probably. He was sure if he turned down another wrong street, he'd be back to square one. Roaming around, even more stupefied than before and with a roaring mad Iori to boot.

Yeah, that sounded like lots of fun.

His red-haired rival charged after him, footfalls resounding on the stone pathways. "Kusanagi, you son-of-a-bitch! Stop!"

Stop what? Running?

Only if Yagami gave up the chase and didn't threaten to claw his eyes out. "You're too slow! Keep up!"

"Arrgh!"

There were more city squares – some with impressive statues to impressive men – more bridges, slow-moving water, boats, and little areas he'd never seen before. He was lost again and behind him, Yagami panted, having run at full speed without stopping. Eventually, Kyo decided he himself needed a breather and gave himself one final push. All the other pedestrians had avoided them or glanced back at them, wondering what they were doing. At one point, he almost mowed down a group carrying luggage and the people yelled at him in some language he didn't understand. It wasn't as if he understood Italian, either.

There was constant foot traffic around this section. More so than the others. Curious, Kyo let that final push drive him to that spot. He stopped, stared, was awed.

"Wow."

The square before him was the single largest one he'd seen here. Soaring high above him were columns meeting into arches and past that, the square bustled with people. Pigeons bobbed their heads, waddling along while tourist groups waved numbered signs or bright colored flags. There was a huge tower on his right, brick-red and what looked like a palace with domes beyond it. Against the soft blue sky, the structures looked awesome. As though those weren't enough to stun him into momentary silence, the square was flanked by two long and antiquated-looking buildings with windows and arches galore. People walked to and fro, some eating and some chatting.

There were cameras out, selfie sticks, and smartphones in many hands.

Where was he?

Behind him, Iori approached, trying to catch his breath. The other man walked alongside him, stared ahead, and also seemed at a loss for words. Then, an irritated look flashed on his face. "You a fucking giraffe? You've taken us to San Marco Square."

"Is that where we are?"

Iori sighed. "You really shouldn't be let outdoors, Kusanagi. Not without a guardian."

"Oh, fuck off."

"Double to you. I need a break. This will do."

Kyo shrugged. Well, if this was a well-known spot, perhaps staying here was pragmatic. Instead of meandering around among those small streets, no one could get lost here. Even with a bad sense of direction, the square was so broad. So vast. Just walk straight and back. It wasn't as if they lacked landmarks.

"You think our team guides –"

"They'll know. I'm staying here." When Yagami stated something like that, it meant he wasn't going to budge.

Fine by him. This was a nice place.

"How long before they come looking, you think?"

"Dunno. Your hotel doing a dinner with the teams?"

"Yeah."

"They'll come finding you. Stay here. The guides know to check this place."

"Ah."

Iori leaned against one of the columns and dug a cigarette out of his pocket. Lit it and took his first drag. After the chase through the Venetian streets, he was positively calm. Kyo took it in stride, since he never quite understood Yagami anyway. The guy's attitude changed at the oddest times, such as now. Then again, they were no longer lost, he supposed. "Mature and Vice will come looking. Doubt they'll get lost."

"Why are they still around? Didn't you –"

"Water under the bridge, Kyo. And yes, that's deliberate."

Kyo snorted. "Never saw you being the one to turn a phrase."

"Well, I don't expect that from you."

"Huh?"

"Your poetry's abysmal, Kyo. Turning phrases ain't your thing."

"Hey. Just because –"

"Don't like it? Run back to your girlfriend, Kyo."

"What are you –"

"That's up to you to decide, isn't it?" His rival took another drag from his cigarette. Let the smoke filter out of his mouth. "Unless you don't have the balls to face it."

"Yagami…"

"Not now, Kyo. Save it for tomorrow. The damn streets already kicked our asses."

That much was true. Instead of fighting Yagami here because he insulted his poetry (how dare he?), he'd save it for tomorrow. Pound his face in and set him aflame all at the same time. "You know…we can get a ride on one of those –"

"Don't even fucking say it."

Kyo grinned at him. Saw Yagami increase his nicotine intake.

"I'll throw you in the canal, I swear."

"Try, Yagami."

"Or hang you from the Bridge of Sighs."

"The Bridge of what?"

"Goddammit, Kyo. Just what kind of dumbass are you?"

"Says the asshole."

"You're liking this, aren't you?"

"And you aren't?"

Whatever Yagami retorted, it was drowned out by the tolling of bells. Ah, so that was a church there, not a palace.

"…tie you to one of them goddamn bells."

"Ha ha. Go ahead, Yagami. Just try to."

Iori threw one of those tried-and-true glares at him. Took another drag.

"Thought so."

"Bastard."

"Asswipe."

"Dipshit."

"That's lame. Asshat."

"And that's not? Fuckwad."

"Boooring. Come on, Yagami. I know you can do better than that…"


End file.
